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Making an impact with ACT – Everywhen’s volunteering day at Mires Beck

ACT supports all Ardonagh colleagues to take advantage of one paid day per year of volunteering leave to give back time and skills to make a difference to charities they care about.

Today, 5 December, marks International Volunteer Day and an opportunity to showcase just one example of Ardonagh people making a difference.

In September, Everywhen's Sustainability Community Group organised a day for colleagues to gift their time to Mires Beck Nursery in Humberside, UK.

For over 30 years, Mires Beck has worked to enrich the lives of adults with learning difficulties, neurodiversity, and physical disabilities through work experience and social therapeutic horticulture at their beautiful conservation site.

Colleagues from Everywhen utilised their volunteering leave to make a difference and ACT was there to capture the action. 

Supporting community through conservation

Each week Mires Beck supports 100 adults through their thriving adult day service and commercial enterprise as a busy plant nursery.

Through conservation and horticulture, the charity enables people to learn new skills and create connections outside of traditional care settings.

With a dedicated team of 75 staff and volunteers, they deliver extraordinary care while producing an exceptional range of high-quality plants and trees, sold to both the public and the horticultural trade.

Volunteering at Mires Beck was a truly inspiring experience, reflecting the essence of sustainability—people and planet working in harmony, supported by a model that ensures long-term resilience through the markets they serve. We saw this in action as service users shone with purpose and joy, working hard to grow and supply plants, trees, and native species for projects nationwide. We spent the day helping on their new nature trail alongside colleagues from Everywhen, which gave us a chance to connect while doing our bit to support their mission. Their warmth and zest for life made the day unforgettable, and being welcomed into their world was a privilege and a powerful reminder of what we can achieve together. A special thanks to Leanne, whose energy and care made the experience even more memorable.
Fiona Bittlinski, Surveyor at RiskSTOP and Everywhen Sustainability Community Co-chair reflect on her time on site. 
Fiona in action at Mires Beck.

A familiar cause to ACT, having received a community grant from ACT in 2024, the charity is now even more connected to Everywhen as they became trustee members earlier in the year.

A true combination of social and environmental impact, Mires Beck is a shining example of sustainability in motion.